Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-23
MAHONES LATEST.
RlvIHw OF THE DEMOCRATIC PLAT.
FORM ADOPTED AT ROANOKE.
In Lieu Of Convention Of His Party His
Committee Give the People
an Address.

the first time, to-day:
Felton, Citizens:
The managers of the Democratic
party held convention mt Roanoke on
the 4th of August, 1887, and promul-
gated platform-in reality a series of
apologies for their broken pledges.
1t has not been the custom of the
Republican party to assemble III State
convention at other times than when
necessary to nominate a State ticket or
send delegates to national conven-
ton.
The State Committee representing
the Republican party have seen no oc-
casion for departure from this rule.
This party has no account of any stew
ardship to render. since for four years
it has had no control over the admins
tration of State affairs. Meanwhile
Republican principles have not changed
since they were formally announced by
the State convention in 1885.
The principles of Virginia Republi-
cans are the same. as those of the ma
tional Republican party. We could
not desire to deceive and mislead the
voters of this State into the support OF
our party's candidates for the Legisla-
ture to be elected i'll November next by
any announcement of our own indi-
vidual advocacy of principles which we
know to be in antagonism to the belief
and principles of the Republican party
of the nation.
Having neither done nor omitted
anything in the discharge of any duty
or trust imposed upon orr party which
needs explanation, or for which we
would desire to apologize, the reasons
necessitating the Roanoke convention
do not exist as to the Republican party
of this State.
TIE ROANOKE PLATFORM.
Nevertheless we have resolved to
present to you this address, setting
forth certain leading facts of political
history, contradicting the statements OF
the Roanoke platform, and to ask you
to ponder them well before you again
exercise the right of suffrage.
We shall first deal with the state
ments of that platform in the order i'll
which they are made:
FIRST AS to the endorsement of Pre-
sident Cleveland and the declaration
which it makes that his Administration
will receive the cordial support of the
Democratic party of Virginia.
If this statement is sincere, then the
succeeding statements demanding the
immediate repeal of the internal-reye-
nue. system and the passage of the Blair
bill must be insincere for the OPPOSE
ton of President Cleveland to the one
and the lack of his endorsement Of the
other of these measures Is known OF
all men.
His formal and express approval OF
Secretary Manning's views and recon-
mendations upon the subject OF taxation
and revenue is conclusive upon this
question.
Secretary Manning not only depre-
Gates the fact that there IS no longer
any duty or tax imposed upon tea and
coffee, but, while urging reduction OF
duties upon such articles OF import rs
are produced in our own country,
squalely opposes any reduction OF the
taxes imposed upon tobacco, fruit dis
citations, and whiskey.
President Cleveland approves these
views and recommendations OF Secre-
tary Manning. The Democratic man
ayers of the Roanoke convention
endorse his Administration, and yet
declare for a repeal of the internal
revenue system.
That President Cleveland's Admins
tration is a great and bitter dislppOlnt
ment to many of the managers Of the
Democratic party of Nirginiais attested
by loud and deep complaints. This
pretended support of him Is not only
inconsistent with the advocacy of the
repeal of the interHal-revenue system
and the passage of the Blair education
al bill, but is time-serving and delusive.
1t remains to be seen whether the
people Of this State can he duped into
his support and that of candidates for
tie Legislature of the party endorsing
his Administration by the inconsistent
utterances of the Democratic managers
of Virginia.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
.Scccnd. As to the internalrevenue
system. The Roanoke platform seeks
to create the impression among the
people that the Democratic party fayors
the immediate repeal of that system.
1t may be that the Democratic mana
gers, who promulgated that platform,
sincerely wish the repeal of the inter
nal-revenue system from motives OF
self-preservation but when they for
mally declare for the repeal of the sys-
tenn as part of the Democratic faith
it is apparent that they are guilty of an
effort to deceive the voters of this Com
monwealth. That system is held by
the Democratic party as a hostage to
compel the overthrow of the Republi-
can policy of protection to American
labor and Industries.
The authors of the Roanoke platform
know full well that the national De-
mocracy opposes that repeal, and that
the few Democrats IN accord with this
declaration of the Roanoke platform are
in hopeless minority of the Demo-
cratic party. The national Democratic
platform upon which President Cleve-
land was elected in 1884 promised no
repeal of the internal-revenue system,
but pledged the party to continuance
of the internal-revenue taxes and their
application to the payment of pensions.
The national Democratic plan of re-
ducing tariff duties embraces continu
ance of these taxes. Every message OF
President Cleveland has ignored any
suggestion of a repeal of the internal
revenue system, and to the repeated eff
forts of the small minority of Demo
Gratis who seek its repeal the Demo
cratic majority of the Fortyninth Con-
gress, speaking through its Committee
on Ways and DEMONSTRATING for an
overwhelming majority of the Demo
cratic party-spesking in accord with
the views of President Cleveland, has
given the following unmistakable re-
sponses on behalf of the Democratic
party.
On the 10th of July, 1886, in the
House Of Representatives of the United
States, Mr.. Morrison, leading Demo
crat and chairman of the Committee on
Ways and Means, on behalf of the
Democratic majority of the House sub
mitted from his committee an adverse
report upon bill "to reduce the in
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